Another Accident on Bell Springs Road

A mini delivery truck with U-Haul went off Bell Springs Road

A mini delivery truck with U-Haul went off Bell Springs Road about 8:30 p.m. [Photo by Tara Sutherland]

According to the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page, a mini delivery truck pulling a U-Haul went off Bell Springs Road about halfway from 101 to Alderpoint Road about 8:30 p.m.

Please be careful if you are driving this road. It isn’t for every driver and every vehicle.

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34 Comments
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Dave L
Guest
Dave L
6 years ago

That road is at it’s worst this time of year and more so this year.

CnD
Guest
CnD
6 years ago

How many “reported” incidents are we up to, now (on Bell Springs Road)? 3? For those keeping score at home. Luckily, nobody has been hurt, so far.

Midnight Rider
Guest
Midnight Rider
6 years ago

It seems to me that during this emergency situation, our government transportation organizations need to be more proactive. They should step up, and actively manage the safe movement of people and goods, rather than respond to all the problems after they happen.

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
6 years ago
Reply to  Midnight Rider

What would you suggest? Expensive, open-when-they-feel like it inspection stations every 5 miles? Yeah no. Better decision making prior to travel would be best. No need to waste tax dollars in the middle of nowhere protecting people from themselves.

Midnight Rider
Guest
Midnight Rider
6 years ago

I didn’t make that suggestion. And better decision making, both before and during travel, is definitely a good thing. But unfortunately, the poor decision making and driving behavior of some individuals does affect others. Sometimes with tragic results.

JR
Guest
JR
6 years ago

I would say that Bell Springs Road is in better shape than US101 at Last Chance Grade ir US 199 in “the narrows”.

Veterans friend
Guest
Veterans friend
6 years ago
Reply to  JR

Great point😁

Livin' Easy
Guest
Livin' Easy
6 years ago

If this wasn’t a local, it’s hard to believe that CHP or Cal Trans isn’t turning these people away before they get on Bell Springs. Many people and their GPS don’t know how bad this road is. They are being set up for a disaster. !!!

sharpen your pencil
Guest
sharpen your pencil
6 years ago
Reply to  Livin' Easy

Also, many dumbasses moving plants on crappy roads, at dark, in vehicles they have no business driving…. Not saying this is the case here, but I’m not saying it wasn’t either!

javabird
Guest
javabird
6 years ago

Looks like someone lost a load of starts. You know that green stuff. Sad that people don’t heed warnings. I thought the Sheriff was monitoring the road and only allowing residents to pass on it.

Heretohelp
Guest
Heretohelp
6 years ago

Maybe they should pull some emergency funds and rock and grade Bell Springs Road. Locals need to get back and fourth and it doesn’t seem like 101 is opening for a while.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

You would think they would actually maintain the road so it can be used when this happens, being that it’s the only way around when the highway shuts down (atleast the only close way around)

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest,

It’s a county road, so CalTrans won’t do anything about it. They’ll fix the highways and bridges along them is all. It’s also not paved, so you don’t have the usual markings to remind you where it is when it starts getting dark. Makes dips and dropouts that much harder to see. But here we are…somebody has to push their luck.

Liz
Guest
Liz
6 years ago

Bells Springs Road is in two counties. Part of it is pave and in need of repair. The other half is dirt and also in need of repair.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  Guest,

Yep I live on it, the mendo side used to be decent but not for the last few years, the humboldt side, well it’s always been bad never as bad as this year

Local
Guest
Local
6 years ago

Unfortunately google maps is listing it as the wAy to go.
The highway patrol is camped up at island mountain bell springs road writing tickets .

This road can’t handle the load of traffic put on it
I was run into the ditch 3 times on the way to town trying to avoid getting hit.
Tommorow I’m driving my dump truck and I’m not moving over

Geez
Guest
Geez
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

Is there a way for chp to contact google maps folks and have that show as closed? I thought there was a feature on google maps that showed you where highways/roads were closed.
Hey CHP its worth a try!

The chp ought to be sitting at both ends of bell springs, whatz up with just being at island mth.
Perhaps locals need to put a big sign at either end scaring folks from driving the road and telling folks heading north to turn around, go to the 20 and head east. Maybe you&ur dump truck shuld be at the 101 juncture :).

Years ago when confusion hill closed at new years, i thought i was going to die by the absolute idiot drivers that got past chp on bell springs, super stressful.

Ah nature bats last. Its out of our control, all we can do is control our actions&reactions to circumstance.

Liz
Guest
Liz
6 years ago
Reply to  Geez

There is a sign at Bells Springs and Hwy 101. To me it looked home made by the locals. I didn’t need to use the road, I didn’t stop to read it.

10toes
Guest
10toes
6 years ago
Reply to  Liz

Mr mountain for all y’all non locals ….don’t take the wrong way stay left lol

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
6 years ago
Reply to  Geez

Google Maps already does that with one of the various traffic and other layers, although data is not entered automatically. Someone actually has to input the actual closure as there’s no traffic flow cameras there from which data can be “read” from. And even then they show up in the wrong places sometimes, so don’t automatically trust your GPS or Tom Tom or whatever.

REAL FACTS
Guest
REAL FACTS
6 years ago
Reply to  Local

It is a public road paid for by my taxes anyone can use this road and not get a ticket .Big rigs should stay off it .But other than that it is a public road and chp is not giving tickets for driving it . What now the locals think its a private rd good luck with that .

Free To Drive Bellsprings Road
Guest
Free To Drive Bellsprings Road
6 years ago
Reply to  REAL FACTS

The Locals don’t want you to see all the grow structures and smart pots all over the mountains that is all .We were up there last week watching humboldt county road crew grade and bring in fill for the northern part of the road .Your tax dollars at work

Belle Springer
Guest
Belle Springer
6 years ago
Reply to  REAL FACTS

Yes, it’s a county road – anyone has the right to drive it. The issue is non locals and folks that don’t know how to drive on dirt fail to adhere to the rules of the road such as yielding to uphill traffic and pulling over to let others pass. This coupled with aggressive hill drivers, is making Bell Springs even more dangerous.

Local
Guest
Local
6 years ago
Reply to  REAL FACTS

Looks like locals won this time
LoL

CnD
Guest
CnD
6 years ago

Call your County Supervisor, State and Federal representatives and tell them what the problem is and ask them to do something.

Livin' Easy
Guest
Livin' Easy
6 years ago
Reply to  CnD

People have written letters, made phone calls and complained to every agency for 20 years about the flooding in Carlotta by the fire hall; and every year Cummings Creek floods and puts 3 feet of water across Hwy 36. It floods around about 25 homes which puts sewage everywhere and eventually into the Van Duzen. Yet, year after year it happens 4-5 times a year. Good luck trying to talk to County Sups or any other Rep.

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago
Reply to  CnD

Lol or you could just tell your dog, or write a letter and light it on fire, or maybe send one to Santa? probably get the same answer.

Gma flowers
Guest
Gma flowers
6 years ago

In laytonville yesterday..heard people at the chevron give directions to an elderly couple to go bell Springs road..there’s a handwritten sign at the bottom of the road..however there is no actual way to tell how dangerous
The road is.be careful y’all

gunther
Guest
gunther
6 years ago

Read the news. If Bell Springs Road was a paved highway people would be dying. Having to go slower probably saves lives.

Life is Good
Guest
Life is Good
6 years ago

It’s a public road that anyone can use. My suggestion is for Caltrans to post regulatory signs like the ones in the mountains when it snows. 4×4 vehicles with mud and snow tires only. That can be enforced and it’ll keep most “passing through” vehicles off the road.

the misadventures of bunjee
Guest
the misadventures of bunjee
6 years ago
Reply to  Life is Good

Yes it is public. No it is not a state road so CalTrans doesn’t do any of the maintenance. County does. There’s already a snow-zone/chains sign right at the beginning and occasionally I’ll see a “rough road” or other yellow warning sign on the side, but not always (I think some people just steal them).

Guest,
Guest
Guest,
6 years ago

im gona grab a tow chain and my grow dozer, be makin money when it rains! Come on up! The more 2wds the better

G-MAS
Guest
G-MAS
6 years ago

Humm,does anyone know what they were delivering?

so hum local
Guest
so hum local
6 years ago

road is getting wrecked